


Want You to Want Me

by evrybodysdarlin



Category: Pacific Rim (2013)
Genre: Karaoke, M/M, Ratings: PG
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-08-02
Updated: 2013-08-02
Packaged: 2017-12-22 04:10:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,493
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/908742
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/evrybodysdarlin/pseuds/evrybodysdarlin
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>For the following anon prompt on pacificrimkink:</p><p>"The entire gang (all the jaeger pilots, Tendo, etc) are sent by Stacker Pentecost to have a Night on the Town. He figures it would be good for them all to relieve some stress and bond a bit. So they all go to a bar in Hong Kong, and...turns out it's a karaoke bar.<br/>They have fun watching the show, until Newt gets a LITTLE drunk and decides to join in. The song he picks turns out to be a love song*, and he basically sings it TO Hermann, which everyone, especially Hermann, is very confused by.<br/>The next day Newt totally denies this, of course."</p>
            </blockquote>





	Want You to Want Me

"This is the stupidest idea I've ever heard," Chuck grumbled as they entered the bar.

"Chuck, you're a young man. You're supposed to be into going to bars and getting smashed," Herc said, ruffling Chuck's hair.

"What, with my _dad_? Yeah, sounds like a ton of fun." Chuck frowned and tried to arrange his hair back into its usual spikes.

"I do think that this seems like a bit of a...waste of time," Mako said in her careful English. "I think that we should be training harder, not taking a break."

"We're all human stress-bombs right now, Miss Mori." Newt strode forward to catch up with the pilots. "Your dad is right, relaxing a little will help all of us be more on point next time disaster inevitably strikes."

Their conversation was drowned out by a roar of approval from the whole bar as the Wei Tang triplets walked in behind them. People all over the room began cheering in Cantonese, and the group from the Shatterdome soon found themselves surrounded.

Stacker Pentecost had insisted that all of the front line members of the PPDC station attend this impromptu night out. They really made quite an unusual group. The Kaidonovskys were there, looking as intimidating as always. This meant that all three of the Hong Kong Shatterdome's Jaeger teams were out in public together, a rare occasion. Pentecost had also urged Tendo Choi to come; he had, in fact, told Tendo that he could see new gray hairs and wrinkles popping up on him every day, and that Tendo had better have a night out from behind the LOCCENT Mission Control before he started looking like someone's grandpa.

Everyone was shocked that Hermann Gottlieb had actually agreed to come. If anyone at the Shatterdome seemed opposed to partying, it would be Gottlieb, but he had been dragged along with surprisingly little fuss. Newt had privately opined that it was probably just for the free booze, as everyone knew that Germans liked their drink.

As adoring fans asked the Crimson Typhoon's crew for autographs and cell phone pictures, the rest of the PPDC group managed to sneak deeper into the building. When the Kaidonovskys and the Hansens reached the bar, though they were greeted with a little fuss of their own.

"Heeeey! Jaeger pilots!" the bartender cried. "You gotta see this!" He pointed up to the drink special menu above his head.

Written in both Cantonese and English were the words: "JAEGER SPECIALS. CRIMSON TYPHOON, CHERNO ALPHA, STRIKER EUREKA MIXED DRINKS."

"What is in our drink?" Sasha asked slowly.

"Well, first, there is vodka--" the bartender began.

"That's all we needed to know, comrade. Get us two!" Aleksis roared. Both Russians grinned and knocked their fists together in victory.

"Maybe this will not be so bad," Sasha added as she threw herself down onto the nearest barstool.

Just then, the background music that had been playing turned into a raucous pop instrumental tune. Then, loud singing in Cantonese rang out through the bar. The PPDC crew turned around and saw a girl in a miniskirt happily singing into a mic on a wooden stage, reading off of a screen as she wailed.

"You brought us to a karaoke bar?" Chuck gritted out.

"Yay!" Mako said. The rest of the group stared at her. It was rare that Mako actually acted like a teenage girl. "I like karaoke," she added defensively.

"Relax, Hansen, you don't have to participate. I just thought it would be fun," Stacker answered. "These are the kind of bars Hong Kong is famous for."

"Yeah, well, that doesn't say much for Hong Kong, does it?" Chuck retorted. He stepped up to the bar. "We'll have the Striker Eureka drink." He gestured to his dad as he spoke.

When the Hansens received their drinks, Chuck took a large swig. "Whew!" he exclaimed. "Very...rummy."

"Bundaberg Rum, straight from Australia!" the bartender said proudly.

"It's very good," Herc said politely, even as his face turned red.

"Do you have any Kaiju drinks?" Newt asked.

"Kaiju Blue Lagoon Cocktail." The bartender pointed to a glaringly blue cocktail in an enormous glass.

"I'll take one of those! So long as it doesn't contain any actual Kaiju blood, ha." Newt paused. "Wait, seriously, does it? I know the kind of stuff you guys sell down by the bone temple...

"No, no Kaiju blood. Gives one hell of a hangover, though. We say you feel like Kaiju stepped on you tomorrow morning."

"Sounds perfect! Slide it over here."

Hermann rolled his eyes. "Am I going to be the one stuck watching Dr. Geiszler to make sure that he doesn't develop alcohol poisoning tonight?"

"C'mon, Hermann, live a little. Get one of your stuffy British drinks and come sit by me." Newt elbowed Hermann as he spoke, provoking a grimace.

"I suppose I could have an ale," Hermann sighed.

Soon, all of the PPDC members except for the Wei Tang triplets had found a table or a barstool and were actually beginning to socialize and relax. By the time the triplets got to the bar, they were already surrounded by pretty girls and free drinks.

"Do you think that the triplets have ever hooked up with other triplets? Imagine all of the genetically similar kids they would make. Do triplets have those hot identical twin girl fantasies?" Newt mused as he sucked Kaiju Blue Lagoon through his straw. Then he stared across to the next table at Chuck. "Young guys still have those hot twin girl fantasies, right?"

Herc turned at the question. "Geiszler, with all due respect, shut up." Chuck looked strangely grateful at his father's deflection.

"Well, anyway, those triplets, huh?" Newt's voice got louder as his drink got emptier. "The Wei Tang Clan." He began trying to rap. "Cash rules everything around me, C.R.E.A.M.!" he began.

"Oh God, Newt, shut up," Hermann interrupted.

"Heeey, you called me Newt! That never happens! That's worthy of another round, my friend." Newt popped up out of his chair, happily missing the point. Then he ran smack dab into the nearest Wei triplet, who happened to be Hu. "Sorry, dude! Hey, how is that drink? Your crimson drink looks oddly delicious."

"Ehhh...good," Hu answered shortly. (None of the triplets knew enough English to be very exciting conversationalists with the rest of the team.)

"Hmm, maybe I'll try one of those," Newt said.

"I'm sure that our drink is better than that one, even if it is a little strong," Chuck objected loudly. "Get a Striker drink."

"No, no, our drink is excellent, Dr. Geiszler, try ours," Sasha called from her seat by the bar.

"Hmmm, you know what this sounds like to me? DRINK-OFF!"

"What?" Pentecost asked skeptically.

"I had better try all three drinks and be the official judge of which one is best. Or, you know, someone else could help me judge, but that's not as fun. I'm getting all three!"

"Oh, Lord help us," Hermann said, resting his head in his hand.

Newton followed through with his promise, proudly returning to his table with all three of the Jaeger-themed drinks on his own personal tray.

"You ordered so much that you need your own tray. Congratulations, Dr. Geiszler, you now exhibit several signs of alcoholism," Herman sniped.

"This is a special occasion, Hermy."

"What would that occasion be?"

"All of us going out together, Dr. Gottlieb," Pentecost smoothly replied. "And...Mako singing for us. All right, Mako!" Pentecost put his fingers in his mouth and produced a loud whistle that rang out through the bar as Mako took the stage. A few men sitting at another table wolf whistled as she walked up the steps, but Pentecost gave them a death glare that silenced them.

Mako proceeded to sing an old Japanese pop ballad in a surprisingly good voice, and the PPCD crew cheered accordingly. Tendo clapped so vigorously that he knocked over his drink.

After Mako's song was finished, Hermann discovered, to his horror, that Newt had already drunk half of each of the three drinks before him.

"I'd say that the Cherno Alpha is the best," Newt slurred as he pointed at the drinks. "That vodka goes down smooth, baby. Russians know what they're talking about. I've actually been trying to figure out if Pavlov's classical conditioning model might work on Kaiju...hey, is the stage open? My turn, my turn!" Newt ran up to the karaoke stage, almost knocking into Mako on the way. "Let's see what we've got here." He began scrolling through the list of songs, as the audience sighed and grumbled impatiently. "Found it!"

Loud, punk guitar chords blared out of the sound system, and Newt shimmied his shoulders as the song began. " _I want you to want me!_ " he sang. " _I need you to need me!_ "

Tendo, the Kaidonovskys, and the Hansens began to laugh at Newt's enthusiastic and ever-so-slightly off-key singing, but Pentecost looked a little taken aback, and Hermann looked mortified.

"I hope that no one can tell that he's with us," Hermann said.

" _I'll shine up the old brown shoes, put on a brand new shirt_ ," Newt continued.

"Dr. Gottlieb, is Dr. Geiszler singing...to you?" Mako asked hesitantly.

"No, I'm sure not," Hermann protested, even as Newt stared him down from the stage.

" _If you say, that you love me_ ," Newt sang loudly. Despite the way he was half-staggering around the stage, he managed to keep the tune pretty well.

"He really is looking at you, Gottlieb," Herc said, seemingly unable to take his own eyes off the spectacle at the front of the bar.

"I'd say you've got yourself an admirer," Chuck laughed, clapping Hermann on the back.

"No physical contact, please, Hansen." Hermann scooted his chair away from the Australians.

"It's not me who wants to get physical with you, Doc." Chuck couldn't stop chuckling. Maybe the rum was kicking in.

" _I'm beggin' you to beg me!_ " Newt sang. By this time, he was outright pointing at Hermann. He dropped dramatically to his knees. " _I want you to want meeee!_ "

"This must be a nightmare," Hermann murmured as the song finally ended.

The other occupants of the bar had gained enthusiasm as Newt sang, and were actually clapping along by the end of the song. He earned a decent round of cheers as he stumbled off the stage.

Instead of sitting back down in his own chair, Newt steered around the table and stopped by Hermann. "Did you like my song?" he asked eagerly.

"Yes, it was charming," Hermann growled. "Now hadn't you better sit down?"

"Don't mind if I do." Newt threw himself into Hermann's own seat, landing on the disgruntled doctor's lap.

"Geiszler! Get off of me."

"Hong Kong is a crowded city, Hermann. We need to share the space. _Share the love_."

"That's it. I'm taking him home," Hermann burst out.

The PPDC personnel seated around him stared, then burst out in simultaneous whoops and whistles.

"Taking him home! Get some, Gottlieb!" Chuck cheered. Mako was laughing so hard that her head was completely resting on the table.

"That's not what I meant!" Hermann protested. "I meant that Dr. Geiszler is clearly too intoxicated to be in public, so I'm going to do my duty as a colleague and make sure that he gets home safely and doesn't embarrass us any further!"

"Do your duty all night long, Doctor," Tendo gasped, choking on his own laughter.

"Oh, sod it." Hermann dragged the confused Newt behind him as he walked toward the door.

"Is this the part where we kiss?" Newt asked loudly. "Talking is boring. I want to get to the kissing part."

"No, this is the part where you go home and sleep it off, imbecile," Hermann answered as they left.

"In your bed?" Newt demanded.

"Fine, sure, whatever." The two scientists finally made it out the door.

*****

The next morning, Newt woke up in an unfamiliar bed with unusually clean-smelling sheets.

"Huh?" Newt said as he cracked his eyes half-open. He heard an inarticulate moan from nearby and forced himself to actually look around the room. He saw Hermann lying on the metal floor next to the bed, wrapped in a meager blanket.

"Hermann? Why are you on the floor?" He winced at the sound of his own voice. "And why is my head pounding?"

"Because you got positively smashed last night and I had to carry you home," Hermann answered, not bothering to open his own eyes.

"Am I in your bed?"

"Yes. You can thank me when you're sober and I'm awake."

"I'm sober now. Definitely sober. Just a little hung over." Newt paused. "Did I...sing?"

"Yes. Yes, you did."

"Oh, God. Did I sing Cheap Trick?"

"I believe so, yes."

"Did I get naked?"

"Actually, no." Hermann pulled the blanket over his own head.

"Well, that's progress, then, right?"

"I suppose, if you want to look at it that way." Hermann popped one eye out from under the blanket. "Newton...do you remember...who you were singing to last night? Why you chose that song?"

"I always sing old punk when I'm drunk, man. There's nothing better. But what do you mean, who I was singing to? I'm sure that I was just singing generically, right?"

Hermann was silent.

"Right?" Newton asked again, sounding a little desperate.

Hermann slowly emerged from beneath the blanket and stared into Newt's eyes.

"Did..did I sing to you?" Newt asked weakly.

Hermann nodded. "Yes. At least, if all of our work colleagues and my own eyes are to be believed."

"I'm so sorry, Hermann." For once, Newt seemed almost speechless and actually apologetic.

"Sorry for embarrassing me in front of of everyone?"

"No, I'm never sorry about that. You need to be embarrassed sometimes. I'm sorry because...I didn't mean to talk to you about my feelings when I was drunk. And in front of a bunch of strangers. And singing."

"So, your feelings were not just alcohol-induced?" Hermann was speaking so slowly and carefully that Newt could barely hear him.

"No, not at all. I just didn't know how to bring it up. I mean, how am I supposed to say it? It always seems like we fight all day and drive each other crazy, but I actually prefer being with you to being with pretty much...anyone...ever. And I didn't know if you felt the same."

"Sadly, I do."

"Wha--sadly? Hermann! Don't scare me like that." Newt emerged from the covers and stuck his hand out. "Come to bed."

"Come to my own bed, you mean?" Hermann grumbled, even as he obeyed. Newt scooted over and held the covers up to allow the other man to cram himself onto the small mattress by his side.

"Is this the kissing part?" Newt whispered hopefully as they lay down together.

"Yes. Yes, it is."

Hermann pulled the covers up.


End file.
